"Who doesn't want to dance to techno Mario songs?"

DDR: Mario Mix is probably the easiest of all DDR games. Even I, the not-so-seasoned n00b, found this to be a walk in the park. The first time I turned it on, I played Free Mode (the mode that just lets you dance to any song) and played the only song available. I started on Normal thinking that it was the equivalent of Standard on other DDR games. I was wrong! I found myself hitting just one arrow per measure. Only when I turned it up to Very Hard was I presented with a challenge. Anyways, onto the ranks.

Gameplay: 8/10Like I said. This game seemed particularly easy, and maybe because it's aimed towards a younger crowd. Whatever the reason, I'm sure that you'll either quickly learn to play or have fun playing on Very or Super Hard. The songs seem to only become noticeably difficult when switched to Hard, and really only Very Hard. Super Hard is a huge step forward, though, and is not to be messed around with. Also, Nintendo added on a 'Workout Mode', which keeps track of how many calories you burn during a song. So this game will actually help you keep fit and stay in shape.

Control/Hardware: 6/10If you buy the package, this game also comes with a Dance Pad (And all for $50? Wow!). However, the dance pad isn't the best I've ever played on. It seems that no matter the surface, the pad will always move forward (or backward, depending on your dance style). And when it does this, you might not step directly onto the arrow and break a 100+ combo. :(

Music: 10/10The original Super Mario Bros theme, remixed as a dance tune? Awesome. Most of the songs on this game were taken from a wide variety of Mario games: Double Dash, Mario Bros 1 2 3, Wario Ware, and more. When you select a song and start dancing to it, you'll think, "Hey! I've heard this before!!" and then it'll be easier to dance because you know the melody. Smart idea from Nintendo.

Story Mode: 7/10DDR with a Story Mode? Meh. Really wasn't that bad. The story goes like this: A shadowy figure (that both sounds and looks like Waluigi... *ahem*) steals the 'music keys', which hold all the music in the world. Without the music keys, things go wrong, which is where our familiar friends, Mario and Toad come into play. They figure, that since music made things right, dancing will make it right in the music keys' absences. Dancing to solve all your problems? Hmm... Maybe this WAS directed towards kids. Anyways, the story mode was also short... and easy. But it's the only way to get songs for Free Mode.

Graphics: 9/10Arrows rolling by on the screen.... But besides that, you get GameCube's beautiful 3D graphics in the background of the songs. I say it's better than some unidentified afro-man breakdancing in the background, as in other DDR games.

Overall: 8/10While this game comes as a bother to veteran players, beginners and novices will find this game to be a lifesaver. With DDR: Mario Mix, I've learned to play way easier than I would've ever on another DDR game. So if you're a vet, I don't recommend it. You'll laugh in its face. But beginners should get out there and buy it, because it's about time you became part of the Dance Dance Revolution craze.